Our story began in 1949…

In 1949, a new church was needed to serve the far western edge of Houston. The first service of what would be St. Francis was then held in August. The application was soon made for St. Francis to become a Mission of the Diocese of Texas. Exactly 75 years ago, on January 28, 1950, St. Francis was accepted as a mission of the Episcopal Church at the Diocese of Texas Council meeting. St. Francis Mission then began the work of establishing itself as a Parish, which it achieved in 1952.

The most important concern of the new Mission/Parish was clearly the Christian Education of children, as is evidenced by the 1950 Building Committee notes, which reported that “the Sunday School building should be the first part of the structure to be built…and that the remainder of the Church would be built later.” Groundbreaking for the Parish Hall took place in January 1951, with the first service held in the as-yet un-air-conditioned building in May 1951.

First Service

On August 28, 1949, the first worship service for what would become St. Francis Episcopal Church was conducted by Bishop Clinton S. Quin. It was held on the property belonging to Dr. Palmer Archer, located on Strey Lane at Memorial Drive. In preparation for this service trees had been cut down to clear a space for the gathering. Some of these trees were then used to make an Altar and communion rail, which were used at the initial service. A cross borrowed from St. John Divine, our sponsoring Parish, was used.

1951

In March 1951, a committee was appointed to begin discussing the opening of a day school at St. Francis to be incorporated and self-supporting. In September 1952, a special Vestry meeting approved the creation, and a class of 24 young children was enrolled in what we would call pre-school. Higher grades were added gradually over the years until St. Francis Episcopal School now has more than 1000 students from Pre-primary through High School, with an outstanding reputation.

Music in the Early Days of St. Francis

A portable military-surplus field organ, owned by Mrs. Charles Stone, the choir director, played an important role in both the groundbreaking for the Parish Hall and the weekly services held there beginning in 1951. Mrs. Stone transported the organ to and from her home on Hedwig Road near Beinhorn until she moved away in 1953. Ruth Mary Ruston was hired as full-time organist and choir director that year and had the use of an electric organ donated by St. John the Divine. (Ruth Mary began a tradition of musical excellence which continues to this day.)

Church for the Country West of Houston

In 1949, the Memorial area of Houston was definitely country, with few homes that were not farms. The western edge of Houston proper was Post Oak Road (now Boulevard). Memorial Drive was paved only as far west as Strey Lane, and the US 90, the current Katy Freeway, was a meandering two-lane roadway. Many homes along Piney Point Road had stables, and children on horseback were a frequent sight. This was the area to be served by the new Episcopal Parish. Among the first suggested names were St. Martin’s in the Fields and St. Francis in the Woods.

Dick Wheatcroft Appointed Vicar

The Rt. Reverend John E. Hines, Bishop Coadjutor in charge of mission congregations in the Diocese of Texas in 1949, called G. Richard Wheatcroft, from Trinity Church in Kirksville, Missouri, to Houston to serve a new church being formed “out west.” He preached his first sermon in May 1950 and was instituted as Rector on March 23, 1952, the beginning of a 40-year tenure. As there was as yet no worship space on Piney Point Road, permission was obtained to hold services in the Spring Branch School auditorium, with Sunday School classes held in the school classrooms.

Capital Campaign / Construction of Original Parish Hall

In 1951, a Building Committee was appointed to explore construction of a building at 345 Piney Point Road. The proposed Parish Hall construction was unanimously approved by the congregation and the Building Fund Campaign Committee was successful in raising a substantial sum, both within and outside the Parish, requiring only a small loan from the Great Southern Life Insurance Co. Parishioners generously provided a substantial amount of the expertise needed at no charge or at cost, allowing the building and a small addition to the Rectory to be completed for $55,000.

Chapel of St. Clare

When our church building was rebuilt and enlarged in 2000, a chapel was included at the east end of the building. In December of 2002, about a year after the new building was dedicated, the congregation was invited to propose a name for the new chapel, including supporting material for the appropriateness of the suggestion. In March 2003, the name was announced as the Chapel of St. Clare. A contemporary of St. Francis and inspired by his example, Clare became the abbess of a community that followed his rule and spirit. Francis regarded Clare as a shining example of integrity and service and often consulted her during his ministry.

Needlepoint Altar Cushions

Most of us do not recognize the names of Alice and Allen Hannay, Jr., but they are the long-ago members responsible for our beautiful Altar Cushions. On the occasion of her husband’s death, Mrs. Hannay and other Altar Guild members planned and designed the original 12 cushions we still use today. The materials were paid for from the Memorial funds donated following Mr. Hannay’s 1972 death. After Mrs. Hannay’s death in 1973, the work was completed by the 34 women she had recruited for the project. It has been estimated that 9500 hours of patient stitching were needed to produce the beautiful cushions!

Stained Glass Windows

With one exception, the stained-glass windows in the current church building are all from the original Sanctuary. The large windows in the transepts are in their original positions. The Creation window on the north side contains images of the sun, the moon, plants, birds, and animals, as well as the Hand of God. The Hymn to the Sun on the south side has uplifted hands, the sun, a bird, flowing water, and a monkey. Small windows have been stacked to form the large windows in the Nave. Others are used in the high windows in the transepts and choir area. Faceted glass windows, once used along the aisles of the Nave and transepts of the original Sanctuary, are now effectively displayed in the chapel.

The Schorre Window

Charles Schorre was an acclaimed Texas artist and long-time, very active Parishioner of St. Francis. The glass fresco window, “Cruciform 81”, located over the east entrance to the nave, is a photographic enlargement of an original painting showing Christ on the cross, as viewed from above. Charles’ family selected the painting and a large group of Charles’ friends and family members donated this lovely work, in memory of a beloved member of our community It was fabricated in Phoenix, AZ, by laminating the photo of the artwork between two pieces of glass, and is the only new window that was created specifically for use in the new 2000 Sanctuary.

The Icons in the Narthex

Our two beautiful icons were both written, the term used for Icon creation, by Diamantis Cassis, and he has provided detailed descriptions of them, along with their numerous figures and symbols. These details can be found on cards in the small racks on the walls as you enter both doors. The Crucifixion Icon depicts Christ, erect and peaceful, almost as though resurrected. To his right is his mother, Mary, supported by the three other Marys. To his left is the beloved disciple John and the Centurion Longinus, reported to be a convert to Christianity after the crucifixion. The Resurrection Icon is one of two traditional depictions, called the Theological Resurrection, showing Christ descending into and breaking the gates of Hades, freeing humanity from death. Adam and Eve, symbolizing humanity, are shown being lifted up by Christ from their death.

In 1977, a group of mothers from St. Francis Church and Day School, with the encouragement of the church Rector and the school Principal, formed the You & Your Children Committee. The committee was created to provide lectures and seminars on child-rearing topics. Professional educators, child psychologists and other experts were invited to speak, providing guidance on a variety of topics, including building strong values, healthy relationships and handling stress. In addition, the committee took a leadership role in developing a strong summer reading program in consultation with educators and librarians. Ice cream parties were held to inspire children to read more. In 1999, Y&YC was discontinued, leaving behind a thriving summer reading program and the Art a la Carte Program.

You & Your Children Committee

In the spring of 1986, the Art a la Carte program was begun by the You & Your Children Committee to aid in efforts to enrich the fine arts curriculum of SFES. Volunteer parents from the church and school worked together to develop classroom programs for kindergarten and first graders, introducing the elements necessary for understanding art, such as form, color, line, and subject matter. Volunteer docents were trained by professional art and museum educators. The program grew to include all students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Through combined grants from the Meadows Foundation in Dallas and the Day School, a Rice University graduate with a degree in Art History was hired to complete the development of the program. The St. Francis Art a la Carte Program attracted the attention of other private schools, which purchased the curriculum for use in their schools.